EP0858009A2 - Système de distribution de matérial de formation d'image auto-nettoyant - Google Patents

Système de distribution de matérial de formation d'image auto-nettoyant Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0858009A2
EP0858009A2 EP98300757A EP98300757A EP0858009A2 EP 0858009 A2 EP0858009 A2 EP 0858009A2 EP 98300757 A EP98300757 A EP 98300757A EP 98300757 A EP98300757 A EP 98300757A EP 0858009 A2 EP0858009 A2 EP 0858009A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
imaging material
container
dispensing container
material dispensing
toner
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP98300757A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0858009B1 (fr
EP0858009A3 (fr
Inventor
Douglas W. Buch
Gene S. Serafine
Rhonda L. Staudt
Timothy G. Struczewski
Jack E. Vanduser
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Xerox Corp
Original Assignee
Xerox Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Xerox Corp filed Critical Xerox Corp
Publication of EP0858009A2 publication Critical patent/EP0858009A2/fr
Publication of EP0858009A3 publication Critical patent/EP0858009A3/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0858009B1 publication Critical patent/EP0858009B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/06—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing
    • G03G15/08—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer
    • G03G15/0822—Arrangements for preparing, mixing, supplying or dispensing developer
    • G03G15/0848—Arrangements for testing or measuring developer properties or quality, e.g. charge, size, flowability
    • G03G15/0856—Detection or control means for the developer level
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/06—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing
    • G03G15/08—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer
    • G03G15/0822—Arrangements for preparing, mixing, supplying or dispensing developer
    • G03G15/0848—Arrangements for testing or measuring developer properties or quality, e.g. charge, size, flowability
    • G03G15/0856—Detection or control means for the developer level
    • G03G15/0862—Detection or control means for the developer level the level being measured by optical means
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/06—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing
    • G03G15/08—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer
    • G03G15/0822—Arrangements for preparing, mixing, supplying or dispensing developer
    • G03G15/0865—Arrangements for supplying new developer
    • G03G15/0867—Arrangements for supplying new developer cylindrical developer cartridges, e.g. toner bottles for the developer replenishing opening
    • G03G15/087—Developer cartridges having a longitudinal rotational axis, around which at least one part is rotated when mounting or using the cartridge
    • G03G15/0872—Developer cartridges having a longitudinal rotational axis, around which at least one part is rotated when mounting or using the cartridge the developer cartridges being generally horizontally mounted parallel to its longitudinal rotational axis
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G2215/00—Apparatus for electrophotographic processes
    • G03G2215/08—Details of powder developing device not concerning the development directly
    • G03G2215/0888—Arrangements for detecting toner level or concentration in the developing device
    • G03G2215/0891—Optical detection
    • G03G2215/0894—Optical detection through a light transmissive window in the developer container wall
    • G03G2215/0897—Cleaning of the light transmissive window

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a self cleaning imaging material dispensing system for a reproduction apparatus, such as a xerographic or other copier or printer, although not limited thereto, wherein a simple, low cost, magnetic brush self cleaning system is provided for automatically cleaning the inside of the imaging material dispensing container.
  • the toner level in the supply container sensing system be low cost and reliable, and not occluded or contaminated by the particulate toner material or the like. That is particularly a problem with an optical, i.e., light beam, sensing system since most imaging materials are effectively opaque. It is desirable for these and other reasons not to have any, or as few as possible, components of the optical sensing system within the imaging material dispensing container itself. Not only because the components within the supply container can become contaminated or jammed by the toner and/or other imaging materials, but also because it is desirable to make the imaging material supply container recyclable and of low cost.
  • the imaging materials be added to the reproduction apparatus with as little spillage or contamination of the machine or the user as possible, preferably by removing a simple, low cost, empty imaging materials supply container and inserting a full container rather than pouring loose material into an open container in the machine.
  • US-A-4 135 642 shows an optical automatic low toner level indicator with a lamp and photocell and a wiping arrangement provided inside the dispenser to periodically clean the windows thereof.
  • This patent particularly illustrates some of the difficulties described above and elsewhere. If the toner level sensing system is of the optical type, especially one depending on the absence of interruption of a light beam by the toner in the container to indicate that the toner level has fallen below the desired level in the container or other input, it will be apparent from US-A-4 135 642 and elsewhere that contamination by the toner material of either the light emitter or light receiver or sensor can also block the light beam therebetween, and thus trick the optical sensing system into falsely signaling that there is still sufficient toner available in the toner container, when there is not.
  • toner level or low toner detection and indicating systems are desirable for warning the machine operator through a visual or other display of the impending exhaustion of the toner supply and the need for replacement. If the supply of toner becomes exhausted, there can be a perceptible reduction in the density of the developed image and thus a degradation in copy quality, with unacceptably light copies, and there may be a long recovery period until the added fresh toner achieves the proper ratio of carrier to developer in a two component developer mixing system such that adequate copy quality is re-achieved. That is, it is very undesirable to let the reproduction apparatus actually run out of toner. Thus, it is particularly important to have an accurate signal of the toner level reaching such a low level in the toner dispensing container that it should be replaced, i.e., an "early warning" of pending toner exhaustion.
  • the exemplary toner dispensing cylindrical rotating cartridge shown by way of one example hereinbelow of an imaging material dispensing system, and its function and associated apparatus, may be similar in other respects to that disclosed in US-A-5 495 323.
  • features thereof of only background interest to the present invention such as its particular rotatable drive and integral internal auger for leveling and transporting toner therein to a dispensing outlet to replenish a development unit of a xerographic printer on controlled demand, etc., need not be re-described in detail herein.
  • Another example of an internal auger rotating in with a cylindrical toner dispenser is disclosed in US-A-5 257 077.
  • an imaging material dispensing system having an imaging material dispensing container from which an at least partially magnetically attractable consumable imaging material is dispensed for reproduction apparatus, and an imaging material level sensing system for sensing the level of imaging material remaining therein, characterised in that the imaging material level sensing system is positioned outside of the container to optically detect the level of imaging material inside the imaging material dispensing container from outside thereof, the imaging material dispensing container having at least one translucent wall area through which the imaging material level sensing system can optically detect the presence of the imaging material inside the imaging material dispensing container, and in that the system further comprises a magnetic brush cleaning system for internally cleaning imaging material from the inside of the translucent wall area of the imaging material dispensing container to maintain relatively unobstructed sensing of the imaging material by said imaging material level sensing system.
  • An optical sensing system for detecting the presence, absence, and/or level of toner or other consumable imaging materials inside an imaging material dispensing container from outside of the container, and wherein a simple, low cost, magnetic brush self cleaning system is provided for automatically cleaning an optical window area inside of the imaging material dispensing container so that an optical sensing system externally of the container may be employed for optically sensing the presence, absence, and/or level of consumable imaging material inside of the container.
  • the disclosed system may be connected to and operated and controlled by appropriate operation of conventional reproduction system control systems. It is well known and preferable to program and execute imaging, printing, paper handling, and other control functions and logic with software instructions for conventional or general purpose microprocessors, as taught by numerous prior patents and commercial products. Such programming or software may of course vary depending on the particular functions, software type, and microprocessor or other computer system utilized, but will be available to, or readily programmable without undue experimentation from, functional descriptions, such as those provided herein, and/or prior knowledge of functions which are conventional, together with general knowledge in the software and computer arts.
  • the disclosed control system or method may be implemented partially or fully in hardware, using standard logic circuits or single chip VLSI designs.
  • the resultant controller signals may conventionally actuate various conventional electrical solenoid or cam-controlled motors or clutches, or other components, in programmed steps or sequences.
  • the reproduction machine is conventionally supplied with conventional consumable toner, or toner plus carrier, imaging material 12 from a generally cylindrical replaceable toner dispensing bottle or container 14 which is rotatably driven, as described in US-A-5 495 323 or otherwise.
  • the improved optical toner level sensing system 20 provides a simple yet more accurate early warning to the customer that this container 14 is empty, or about to become empty, and provides an internal self-cleaning function as well.
  • a two component optical sensing system 20 having an emitter 22 and a detector 24 on opposite sides of the toner container 14, to define an effective light beam 26 therebetween at a preset level through the lower portion of the container 14, provides a high signal to noise ratio. Since both the emitter 22 and detector 24 are completely outside of the toner container 14 they both also avoid toner contamination problems, as discussed above. Thus, the detection of the light from emitter 22 by the detector 24 signals to machine controller 100 the absence of sufficient remaining toner in the container 14. Likewise, the sensed obstruction (preferably with a time delay or integration) of the light beam 26 by the detector 24 signals to the controller 100 the presence of sufficient remaining toner in the supply container 14.
  • Various commercial components may be employed for the optical toner level sensing system 20 light emitter 22 and detector 24.
  • a commercial optical transmissive sensor 24 such as model 130K54561 from Optek Technology, Inc. may be utilized.
  • the toner container 14 here is conventionally a relatively thin walled container molded of a suitable conventional translucent plastic, such as high density polyethylene, so as to be sufficiently optically translucent for the optical sensing system 20 absent the above discussed toner contamination problem. It will be appreciated, however, that the container 14 need only be translucent in the area through which the light beam 26 passes.
  • the present system provides an automatically cleaned window area inside of the container 14, for optical transmission through both opposing walls thereof of the light beam path 26 of this optical sensing system 20.
  • This is accomplished here by a simple fixed appropriately positioned magnet 30 interacting with a portion of the imaging material inside the container 14.
  • the magnet 30 is positioned outside of, non-critically but relatively closely spaced from, the rotating toner container 14.
  • the magnet 30 is positioned to extend along the axis of the container 14 over at least the area of the light beam path 26 of the optical sensing system 20, or, as shown in Fig. 3, the full length of the container 14.
  • the magnet 30 has a magnetic field flux which extends inside the adjacent portion of the container 14 to form therein a magnetic brush 12a from a small quantity of the imaging material 12 which is magnetically attractable.
  • the toner is not ferrous and not magnetically attractable, but is mixed with carrier beads which are.
  • This magnetic flux field can align and hold this carrier bead material therein.
  • This example of a two component imaging material 12 with steel, ferrite, or other magnetically attractable carrier beads is typical of a so-called "trickle development" system, in which a small percentage of such carrier material is premixed in and dispensed with the toner material to also gradually replace the carrier in the printer 10 development unit fed the material by the container 14.
  • This magnetically attractable material is attracted towards the magnet 30, and thus towards, and held stationary against, the inside wall of the toner container 14 in at least the area 14a thereof, corresponding to the magnet 30 area.
  • this magnetic brush 12a sweeps or scrubs at least an annular clean window area 14a of corresponding width to the magnet 30 length inside the container 14.
  • This cleaned, "see-through" window area 14a is where the light beam path 26 of the optical sensing system 20 passes through the container 14, and this overcomes the above-discussed toner contamination problems with the optical sensing system 20.
  • the size or strength of the magnet 30 is not critical, but is empirically selected to provide sufficient attractive force for adequate such cleaning for the optical sensing system 20 by the magnetic brush 12a without excessive friction or drag. That of course will vary depending on the particular imaging material and container, etc.
  • the magnet 30 may be positioned as shown in Fig. 2, that is, positioned below the optical detector 24 and under the container 14, so as to form the magnetic cleaning brush 12a near the bottom of the container 14.
  • the magnet 30 can be used is to make sure that most or almost all of the imaging material is loosened and scraped off of the interior walls of the container 14, thus dropping towards the bottom of the container 14 and being dispensed. This lessen the excess undispensed and thus wasted material in the container before it is replaced, and which material otherwise needs to be cleaned out and recovered during the process of recycling the used container.
  • the magnet 30 may optionally be made to extend for substantially the full axial length of the container 14, as shown in the bottom view of Fig. 3, to thereby form a magnetic cleaning brush 12a for the full length of the container interior.
  • the magnet is to be used only to help clean excess material out of the container in this manner it may be mounted in other radial positions around the container axis of rotation.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Dry Development In Electrophotography (AREA)
  • Cleaning In General (AREA)
  • Cleaning In Electrography (AREA)
EP98300757A 1997-02-06 1998-02-03 Système de distribution de matérial de formation d'image auto-nettoyant Expired - Lifetime EP0858009B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US795748 1997-02-06
US08/795,748 US5805952A (en) 1997-02-06 1997-02-06 Imaging material detection in a magnetic window cleaning dispensing container

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0858009A2 true EP0858009A2 (fr) 1998-08-12
EP0858009A3 EP0858009A3 (fr) 1999-03-17
EP0858009B1 EP0858009B1 (fr) 2003-12-03

Family

ID=25166342

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP98300757A Expired - Lifetime EP0858009B1 (fr) 1997-02-06 1998-02-03 Système de distribution de matérial de formation d'image auto-nettoyant

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US5805952A (fr)
EP (1) EP0858009B1 (fr)
JP (1) JPH10221943A (fr)
CA (1) CA2222352C (fr)
DE (1) DE69820131T2 (fr)

Families Citing this family (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP4738665B2 (ja) * 2001-08-08 2011-08-03 株式会社リコー 使用済み電子写真ユニットの洗浄方法及び洗浄装置
JP4532986B2 (ja) 2004-05-19 2010-08-25 キヤノン株式会社 トナー補給容器及び画像形成装置
JP4580993B2 (ja) * 2008-01-11 2010-11-17 シャープ株式会社 流動体収容装置および画像形成装置
JP4597218B2 (ja) * 2008-05-14 2010-12-15 シャープ株式会社 トナー補給装置および画像形成装置
JP2013020035A (ja) * 2011-07-11 2013-01-31 Ricoh Co Ltd 粉体収納容器、及び、画像形成装置
JP5999479B2 (ja) * 2012-06-08 2016-09-28 株式会社リコー 粉体補給装置、及び画像形成装置
US9405221B2 (en) 2012-06-08 2016-08-02 Ricoh Company, Ltd. Powder container and image forming apparatus incorporating same
JP6688145B2 (ja) * 2016-04-25 2020-04-28 シャープ株式会社 粉体検出装置及びトナー補給装置
JP6828269B2 (ja) 2016-05-10 2021-02-10 コニカミノルタ株式会社 廃現像剤容器およびそれを有する画像形成装置
JP6669121B2 (ja) * 2017-04-07 2020-03-18 京セラドキュメントソリューションズ株式会社 現像剤補給装置およびこれを備えた画像形成装置

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS59166976A (ja) * 1983-03-14 1984-09-20 Fuji Xerox Co Ltd 複写機の現像装置
JPS63296070A (ja) * 1987-05-28 1988-12-02 Canon Inc 現像装置
JPH04311980A (ja) * 1991-04-11 1992-11-04 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd 現像装置
EP0665475A2 (fr) * 1994-01-28 1995-08-02 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Appareil de développement, unité de traitement, appareil de formation d'images et méthode d'assemblage d'une unité de traitement
US5557368A (en) * 1994-05-17 1996-09-17 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Toner level detecting device and method for detecting toner level within a toner storage box

Family Cites Families (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3920155A (en) * 1973-05-07 1975-11-18 Xerox Corp Particle level indicator
US4135642A (en) * 1977-06-02 1979-01-23 Xerox Corporation Wiper arrangement for toner level sensor
JPS57196274A (en) * 1981-05-28 1982-12-02 Ricoh Co Ltd Detecting and controlling device for residual quantity of developer
JPH083683B2 (ja) * 1986-06-09 1996-01-17 キヤノン株式会社 現像装置
US4989754A (en) * 1989-11-30 1991-02-05 Xerox Corporation Toner level detection system
US5257077A (en) * 1992-01-31 1993-10-26 Xerox Corporation Toner dispensing apparatus for a xerographic reproduction machine
US5495323A (en) * 1994-02-28 1996-02-27 Xerox Corporation Clean spiral toner cartridge
JPH08160698A (ja) * 1994-11-30 1996-06-21 Ricoh Co Ltd 現像装置
JP3266447B2 (ja) * 1995-02-17 2002-03-18 キヤノン株式会社 画像形成装置

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS59166976A (ja) * 1983-03-14 1984-09-20 Fuji Xerox Co Ltd 複写機の現像装置
JPS63296070A (ja) * 1987-05-28 1988-12-02 Canon Inc 現像装置
JPH04311980A (ja) * 1991-04-11 1992-11-04 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd 現像装置
EP0665475A2 (fr) * 1994-01-28 1995-08-02 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Appareil de développement, unité de traitement, appareil de formation d'images et méthode d'assemblage d'une unité de traitement
US5557368A (en) * 1994-05-17 1996-09-17 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Toner level detecting device and method for detecting toner level within a toner storage box

Non-Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 009, no. 020 (P-330), 26 January 1985 & JP 59 166976 A (FUJI XEROX KK), 20 September 1984 *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 013, no. 127 (P-848), 29 March 1989 & JP 63 296070 A (CANON INC), 2 December 1988 *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 017, no. 138 (P-1505), 22 March 1993 & JP 04 311980 A (MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC IND CO LTD), 4 November 1992 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69820131T2 (de) 2004-05-27
EP0858009B1 (fr) 2003-12-03
JPH10221943A (ja) 1998-08-21
CA2222352A1 (fr) 1998-08-06
US5805952A (en) 1998-09-08
CA2222352C (fr) 2001-01-09
EP0858009A3 (fr) 1999-03-17
DE69820131D1 (de) 2004-01-15

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